Morning Show Star Exits After Making Controversial Comments: ‘I Did Not Intend… ’
Apple TV+’s hit drama series The Morning Show will be down a key newscaster when it returns for Season 4 . Why did Julianna Margulies leave The Morning Show? We have the answer below, plus more Season 4 details.
Why did Julianna Margulies leave The Morning Show?
According to our sister site Variety, Marguiles was only offered a one-episode appearance for Season 4, which she ultimately turned down. The decision allegedly came before the Good Wife alum stirred up controversy during a November 2023 appearance on Andy Ostroy’s podcast. While discussing the Israel-Hamas war, Margulies, who is Jewish, made derogatory comments about both Black and LGBTQ supporters of Palestine, including that Black people have “been brainwashed to hate Jews.” She later apologized for her remarks in a statement that read: “I am horrified by the fact that statements I made on a recent podcast offended the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities, communities I truly love and respect.”
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The statement continued: “I want to be 100% clear: Racism, homophobia, sexism, or any prejudice against anyone’s personal beliefs or identity are abhorrent to me, full stop. Throughout my career I have worked tirelessly to combat hate of all kind, end antisemitism, speak out against terrorist groups like Hamas, and forge a united front against discrimination. I did not intend for my words to sow further division, for which I am sincerely apologetic.”
Margulies joined The Morning Show in Season 2 as Laura Peterson, a TV news anchor who became romantically involved with Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon). The two broke up early in Season 3 after Laura found out that Bradley covered up her brother Hal’s involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Despite the breakup, Laura’s arc continued on through the rest of Season 3. Showrunner Charlotte Stoudt was even thinking of ways to include the character in Season 4. “We’re very, very, very early in the room [for Season 4], but I think I’d want to explore that more. Her dimensionality. Not just, “I’m Laura and I love Bradley, and she occasionally drives me crazy!” she told Variety after the Season 3 finale, which aired before Margulies’ podcast appearance.
News of Margulies’ departure comes on the heels of Marion Cotillard’s casting. The French actress, who won an Oscar for her turn as Edith Piaf in 2007’s La Vie En Rose, will be joining Season 4 as Celine Dumont, a savvy operator from a storied European family. The rest of the cast, which includes Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Néstor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Greta Lee, Jon Hamm and Nicole Beharie, are expected to return. The show also starred Steve Carrell, but his character, Mitch Kessler, was killed off back in Season 2 and has not been mentioned since.
The series follows the major players of a morning news show and the network that airs it during major political, financial and personnel scandals. Since debuting on the streamer in 2019, the drama has received 11 Emmy nominations and one win for Crudup as Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series. It is executive produced by Witherspoon, Aniston, Stoudt, Mimi Leder, Michael Ellenberg, Kristin Hahn and Lauren Neustadter. A release date for Season 4 has not yet been announced, but it will most likely premiere in 2025 due to delays caused by the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
For more on primetime shows, check out our gallery on your favorite primetime stars’ real-life partners.
